‘Don’t Fry Day’ encourages everyone to make sun safety a habit

Before you soak up the summer sun, did you know that melanoma – the most deadly form of skin cancer – kills nearly 25 people in the United States each day?

Sarah Denny, a pediatrics physician at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, shares that warning in a video included in a toolkit from the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention.

The council has designated May 27 as Don’t Fry Day to promote sun safety and remind everyone to protect their skin while outdoors. The organization offers four key skin cancer prevention strategies:
Make sunscreen a routine: About 30 minutes before heading outside, apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 30 or higher. Reapply every two hours (or more frequently when sweating or swimming).
Wear protective clothing: Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, long-sleeved shirts and pants, and UV protection factor clothing, or use a UPF additive when washing clothes.
Be sun smart: Try to stay out of the sun when its rays are strongest – from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. When possible, seek shade beneath an umbrella, tree or structure. Water and sand can reflect the sun’s UV rays, increasing your risk of sunburn.
Never burn or tan: Don’t tan intentionally or use tanning beds, which can lead to premature aging and skin cancer.

In addition, parents and guardians should make sure children avoid sunburns. According to the council, even one blistering sunburn as a child or adolescent can almost double the chance of developing melanoma later in life.